More information
Description
Plant diversity and its protection is an important topic, often presented in abstract terms to the public. The lack of broad public dialogue about food biodiversity and care for it in Bulgaria do not allow people to understand its potential and the responsibilities for its protection. The Eurobarometer (2017) shows that about 70% of Bulgarians believe that climate change is a very serious problem, 21% claim that they have personally taken steps to fight climate change but only 11% of the respondents realize that they have personal responsibility as well. It is indicative that Bulgarian citizens, including young people, still lack a sense of personal responsibility to mitigate climate change. The project aims at boosting citizens’ engagement with environmental protection and climate change through the setting up of a dispersed network of engaged partners that preserve, share and develop eco-sustainable plant resources and the relevant knowledge and attract young people, especially from and to less-developed areas with preserved biodiversity. The element linking this network is food that is a direct reflection of the place, its conditions and social and economic interrelations. By connecting academic and educational institutions with civil initiatives, the project plans to develop a science-based attitude to the use and protection of plant food diversity and awareness of the impact of our food choices on the state of ecosystems and the correlation between our daily decisions and global climate change. The project will create opportunities for dialogue and interaction between groups from the Bulgarian public that are usually worlds apart from each other (researchers, farmers, chefs, teachers, children and youth, representatives of local and national institutions).
Summary of project results
According to Eurobarometer (2017) only 11% of respondents in Bulgaria think they have personal responsibility towards climate change and sustainable development. The project addresses the lack of knowledge and civic engagement for preserving local plant and biodiversity especially in less developed areas and provides science evidence on food choices awareness and its importance for the environment.
The project activities connected academic and educational institutions with civil initiatives The project was presented at 2 international events promoting local Slow Food communities and sustainable products (In Bologna and Torino, Italy in 2022). A network of 9 research centers was created with the aim of promoting food choices as a tool to fight climate change. As a result, the Thracian University of Stara Zagora initiated a special educational program. The network of local communities was expanded with 17 new members after 95 meetings in 45 local communities. The website http://slowfood-bg.com was developed to promote project activities and results and include new members. The general public was addressed by the campaign Biodiversity on a plate with 13 public presentations of food producers and chefs and publications in social media, magazines and news websites. The meetings of the Forum Terra Madre Bulgaria additionally engaged more people throughout the country. A pilot educational programme for 1-4 grade students was created and tested in schools. 7 information materials and 4 videos can be found on https://slowfood-bg.com/obrazovanie/
The main outcome of the project is the engagement of communities in promoting local plants and foods through traditional techniques and practices and finding ways to produce income through participation in farmer’s markets and international exhibitions. One of the outcomes was to use the cultural food heritage as sustainable tourism destination (eg. The project initiated such brand in Radomir municipality via their local members). The project will benefit 67 researchers and 54 teachers and university professors, farmers, chefs, children and youth, representatives of local and national institutions. 4 new research initiatives were developed based on the evidence on bio-cultural heritage gathered during the project. The project promotor was invited by the Sofia municipality to work with children in kindergartens and primary schools on climate change awareness after the end of the project activities. Association ‘Parents’ added value to the project with its experience working with youths, children and parents. They helped building the capacity of the project promoter to work with school and organisations in the area of education and provided valuable contacts with the schools where the educational programme was tested. The Association had also a big role in developing the programme material in a child-friendly and accessible way.